Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) met Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, head of the European Union Delegation to Việt Nam on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, head of the European Union Delegation to Việt Nam, told President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Tuesday he is willing to help Việt Nam access COVID-19 vaccine sources and vaccine technology from Europe.

The ambassador applauded Việt Nam’s efforts in the pandemic fight and expressed his hope the country will successfully complete its vaccine rollout.

During a reception for Aliberti, the President thanked the EU for its medical support through the COVAX Facility and Team Europe and called on the EU to help Việt Nam enhance its capacity for COVID-19 vaccination and production.

Phúc expressed his delight at the development of the partnership and ties between Việt Nam and the EU recently.

The EU has become a leading partner of Việt Nam in many regards, the President said, adding that the two sides have signed a number of agreements in politics, trade, investment, and national defence and security such as the EU-Viet Nam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement, the Framework Participation Agreement (FPA) and the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade.

The documents have created a foundation for the two sides to lift their relations to a new high, Phúc said.

Lauding Aliberti’s contributions to the Việt Nam-EU ties, Phúc suggested the ambassador continue to urge the European Parliament (EP) to soon complete procedures to ratify the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

The ambassador, for his part, spoke highly of Việt Nam’s non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for 2020-21.

He thanked Việt Nam for its support in upgrading the ASEAN-EU relationship to a strategic partnership and noted his wish that the two sides will continue their co-operation within the framework, for the sake of ASEAN countries and the EU.

While discussing regional and international issues of shared concern, Aliberti emphasised the significance of international law, notably the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS) to regional peace, stability, co-operation and development.

The ambassador handed over a congratulatory letter of European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen to President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.  

Phúc asked the ambassador to convey his invitations to the EU’s high-ranking leaders to visit Việt Nam. — VNS